Note to Coaches,
As is our custom, I try to consolidate notes and impressions directly after any educational opportunity, conference, or workshop. I feel like documenting our impressions helps us think about what we learned, and captures those lessons for the coming year (and for posterity on our website). These pieces become good reference materials and historical records of where we are, where we are going, and how we intend to get there.
I’ve jotted my impressions down below. They are in no way conclusive or complete. Just what I take away from the Summit, and how I plan to implement a few things I learned.
I hope you will also contribute and collaborate. When we decide we are done, I’ll add it to our website, as well as some of the photos we took.
Sound good?
If so, please comment below.
Thanks,
Dave the Sasquatch
PICL
Leaders Summit
March 23rd - 24th, 2019
Hershey, PA
Attendance
The Hammers had eight Coaches of various experience attend the conference this year. In order from Newbie to “old curmudgeon”.
Newbies - Amanda Beach, Matt Facktor, Tami Gabrielsen, and John Ross
Second year - Jon Gabrielsen,
O.G’s - Jim and Julie Book, Dave Decoteau
From left: Jim and Julie Book, Amanda Beach, Jon and Tami Gabrielsen, John Ross, Matt Facktor, and David Decoteau
The Summit writ large had attendance of over 150 coaches and potential future coaches and supporters. An amazing group, that gave good reason for optimism about the future of the league and interscholastic mountain bike riding in Pennsylvania.
Entire PICL Leaders Summit group. Photo is taken in front of the Milton Hershey School Dome building.
Event Format
This year the Summit offered various tracts. Below is the schedule of events and tracts.
Team Strategy
By dividing our group, we covered all the different tracks offered.
Saturday
Track 1 -On the Bike 101
Amanda? Tami? John? Matt? Members of our team attended these sessions, maybe they can elaborate a bit here.
Track 2 - On the Bike 201
Jon? Jim? Julie? Members of our team attended these sessions, maybe they can elaborate a bit here.
Track 3 - Event Production
Dave D. took this track.
This track was designed to look toward the future of the League. To teach coaches how to identify a proper NICA course, and how to get it on the ground. Things like Starting area, Finishing area, vendors, bathrooms, League Space, P.A. system, Awards areas and much more were discussed.
This is being done with an eye towards divisional races and then NICA regional events. This is the future of the league, so I figured I better get on board.
The idea is to have different regions trained to put on their own “local dirt” races, that can eventually evolve into full-fledged NICA “feeder” races.
If we can pull this off, travel will be greatly reduced for team. Also, costs will be reduced. As I said, this is the future of the league.
We learned about staging a race, and how to set things up, so that if/when we do our own races: we know what is expected, best practices, and how to use our “NICA Vision” to identify courses, problems, solutions, and ways to keep the event safe and fun for all NICA level riders.
Sunday
State of the League
This was a very interesting, kind of stressful part of the weekend. At this point, Mike introduced the new pricing structure. We spent most of the morning explaining it, asking questions, and trying to understand.
Basically, the fee structure is going to $300.00/Rider instead of basing the league on the kids who race. The management feels like this is more sustainable long-term, will allow us to go into schools that don’t presently participate (in hopes of increasing the diversity of our riders) and to not “nickle and dime” those who race.
Things like parking fees, race fees, and other costs are incorporated into this flat fee. For those who did most all the races during the season, this will actually be less expensive. For those kids who only practice with us: this is potentially a deal breaker, and something we will need to discuss to determine a strategy.
Track 1 - Coaching Track
John? Jim? Julie? Amanda? Tami? Jon? Matt? Members of our team attended these sessions, maybe they can elaborate a bit here.
Track 2 - Event production track
Dave D. took this track
An extension of Saturday, Sunday’s session included a ride in the woods and identifying and mitigating trail situations we might find in the wood during the construction of a “local dirt” race event set-up. Basically, if it looks fun, you better consider taking it out.
Well, maybe not that bad...but pretty close. We talked about marking, rerouting, and some very good tips on race logistics for this level racer.
Good quality track, and I’d recommend it for others as we go forward with the league and each Coaches training.
Pro - tips and notes Misc:
This section is dedicated to people notes, and ideas that they might have heard that don’t squarely fit into the format above.
1. Get a box of bells to put on the kids bike. As the team grows, bells are better than yelling “on our right” 50 times as you pass a guy walking his dog.
2. Get index cards. Make each kid fill out two copies. One for them, to be put on their bike, the other as part of a “deck” that coaches use to divide the kids for practice. On the card are things like a photo of them (because in the beginning of the year, you might not yet know their name) their contact info, medical info, and anything else that seems valuable if they were unconscious or needed help.
3. Use TeamSnap better. REQUIRE coaches and riders to outline their availability.
4. Late comers in the season - screening process needs to happen, as to not be unsafe or a drag on the team.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Conclusions:
Dave’s big take-away:
I got a new mantra out of the weekend. NICA is a combine tractor.
NICA is not all things to all riders.
NICA is not a perfect solution to everyone’s riding needs and desires.
If you expect to be happy with everything NICA says and does: you will be disappointed.
But what NICA is, is a big, undeniable, powerful machine for cutting through barriers and collecting potential, and refining it to a form that then will go on to sort itself into different areas that are best suited for their particular attributes.
We are entry level.
We are tasked with getting kids together, and helping them love the outdoors, and we use bikes to accomplish that task.
What happens next, becomes more organic. They sort themselves out:
Some kids will love racing and CX so much that they will stay long term with NICA.
Some kids will learn that they have developed skills beyond what NICA can deliver.
Some kids will learn that racing isn’t their thing...and that’s cool.
Some kids will get together to do all kinds of fun stuff on bikes on their own time.
Some kids will enter races outside of NICA.
Some kids will become coaches of younger kids.
But regardless of what path they choose, NICA was the catalyst for the start of these amazing adventures and friendships.
And I need to keep my eye on that prize, and always remind myself what we are, and are not.